Dragonfire

"You don't want to go believing in myths and legends..." 

Writer: Ian Briggs

Format: TV

Broadcast: 23rd November - 7th December 1987

Series: 24.04

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Mel, Ace

Synopsis

At the Iceworld Space Trading Colony on Svartos, the Doctor and Mel unexpectedly encounter an old 'friend'. The penniless and desperate Sabalom Glitz has only one option to leave Svartos - to find the fabled 'Dragonfire' treasure concealed somewhere in the depths of the planet.

Joined by Ace, a teenage waitress with a love for explosives, the group venture off to uncover lost riches, not knowing that Kane, Iceworld's ruthlessly intimidating overlord, will gladly murder them all to gain possession of the Dragonfire himself. Before long the Doctor finds himself playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with Kane's mercenaries, descending through the ice caverns ever closer ti the deadly gaze of the monstrous dragon that lurks below...

Verdict 

Dragonfire was a decent story but one that definitely could have been improved. I'm not saying it was bad, it was far from it, but I almost get the feeling like this is a somewhat forgettable adventure which is a real shame. It's hugely significant in the timeline of the Doctor as we see one companion depart and another arrive but both just seemed a bit sudden and I think that perhaps hurt the serial a little bit. I mean, Ace was established as a character in part one before becoming a companion in the third part but it still seemed quite out of nowhere that she would join the Doctor. I feel like it should have been hinted at during the story but that was never the case. Mel's decision to leave the Doctor was ridiculously sudden and unexpected but I must admit that I did like the Doctor's reaction to knowing that he'd be losing another friend. I just don't understand why Mel would want to leave and go off with Glitz instead. His return was good but he's not exactly a character you would expect to be coming back following his first appearance in The Trial of a Time Lord. I thought his relationship with the Doctor and Mel was once again good but I wasn't overly struck on his acceptance of the Doctor changing his appearance. His role in the story though was actually very good and I enjoyed his problems with gambling being a big part of why he wanted the source of the treasure located on Iceworld. His scepticism regarding myths was good but the irony of him looking at the map for it was terrific. Back to Ace and I don't think I've made it any secret in past blog entries in which she features that I'm not her biggest fan but on television I really do dislike her. Even in this introductory story for her, I really disliked her. I don't understand why she was so popular and it's also just not believable that Sophie Aldred is only sixteen years old. The explanation of how she got from Perivale to Iceworld is an intriguing one but I think it still could have been better. Sylvester McCoy was excellent as the Seventh Doctor in this one though I must say and he probably was the saving grace of the story when it came to the regular cast. The cliffhanger to part one and its resolution were beyond strange and I'm still not quite sure just what happened. Maybe I'll have to read the novelisation to get a better understanding but it really didn't make much sense at all. I watched this story with my cousin who's growing fast but he really didn't enjoy it much. He described it as boring after part two which humoured me and I could see that he wasn't able to appreciate the finer details of the adventure which was a shame. The concept of the Dragonfire was actually really good and I thought that Kane made a superb villain. That was certainly a positive. The revelation regarding Iceworld and the spaceship was good and well timed and I thought the ending to the plot aspect of the story was actually really good and quite exciting. The source of power being retrieved from the dead creature was good and Kane's desire for its head was a little disturbing but that uneasy characteristic in his personality was what made him. The ending though was partly where this story falls short and the change of companion just seemed so sudden, unexpected and well, unnecessary. Overall though, a more than decent story but it certainly could have been improved. 

Rating: 7/10

Galaxy Four

"Freedom of thought can have dangerous consequences."

Writer: William Emms

Format: Novel

Released: April 1986

Series: Target 104

Featuring: First Doctor, Vicki, Steven

Synopsis

Following a skirmish in deep space, two alien spacecraft have crashlanded on a barren planet in Galaxy Four.

The Drahvins are a race of beautiful females, led by the imperious Maaga. The Rills are hideous tusked monstrosities, accompanied by their robotic servants, the Chumblies.

When the Doctor arrives, he discovers that the planet will explode in two days' time. The Drahvins desperately ask for his help in escaping the planet and the belligerent Rills.

But things are not as they seem...

Verdict

Galaxy Four was a brilliant novelisation of the mostly lost story of (almost) the same name. I was very excited to be reading this book because of how much of the story is currently missing from the television archives and I have watched the one surviving part that was of course recently discovered. I have also watched the recons on YouTube of the three missing parts so my understanding of this story is still good despite the fact that 75% of it is missing. However, it has been a while since I have watched this story so reading the novelisation was almost like it was brand new. I thought the format of the book was very intriguing with just four chapters. That obviously meant that it was one per part but chapters of nearly forty pages is almost unheard of when it comes to the Target releases. Following the cliffhanger of World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls I have been anticipating the return of the First Doctor at Christmas so doing a story of his has been something I've wanted to do for a while now. I thought the characterisation of William Hartnell's first incarnation of the Doctor was very solid but that's not to say that it couldn't have been slightly improved. The trio of him alongside Vicki and Steven is a very underrated one in my opinion and I thought they worked terrifically well here. Vicki really was terrific and I particularly liked Steven when he was left as the hostage to the Drahvins. The alien race comprised of beautiful women is a good concept and considering this story was originally written during the 1960s, the comments about the uselessness of men really made me smile. Maaga proved herself to be quite the ruthless villain and her position as leader of the race was good. She was the one who gave orders simply because she was the one who thought. Her hatred towards the Rills despite them wanting to help her and her people was quite a shock and I really liked how the TARDIS trio immediately realised that things weren't quite as the Drahvin had explained them. The threat of the planet only having two dawns before destruction was a great subplot and I liked how the Drahvin intended on stealing the Rills' spaceship once it was repaired. Even though they had been offered sanctitude, they wanted to wipe out the Rills instead. The history of how the two races ended up on the planet was really intriguing and I liked how significant the deaths were despite them being accidental. The Chumblies were quite amusing in the novelisation but I think they were better utilised on television but that doesn't take away from their role in the book at all. I still really liked them. One thing that really irked me about the book though was the attempts to say that the Doctor in this story was not the first incarnation. There were way too many mentions of this Doctor's body being too weak and aged and that he needed to a new one. It was implied that he'd changed before and I really didn't like nor understand that. The cliffhangers of the parts didn't seem overly great in a novel but that's not as important as the televised format so that was absolutely fine. The ending was excellent and well paced and I liked how Maaga was left on the planet to deal with the consequences for her actions. The Rills were safely on their way and the TARDIS departed just in time before planetary destruction. Overall, a fantastic book! 

Rating: 8/10

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

"Naturally occurring Christmas trees... how cool is that?"

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 25th December 2011
Series: 2011 Christmas Special

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor

Synopsis

Christmas Eve, 1938. Madge Arwell comes to the aid of an injured Spaceman Angel, the Eleventh Doctor, who promises to repay her kindness - all she has to do is make a wish. Three years later, Madge escapes war-torn London with her two children for dilapidated house in Dorset. Crippled with grief at the news her husband has been lost over the English Channel, she wishes to give her children the best Christmas ever. The Arwells are greeted by the Doctor, who acts as their madcap caretaker. However, a mysterious Christmas gift from him leads them into a wintry, magical world. Madge must learn how to be braver than she ever thought possible... and that wishes can come true.

Verdict

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe was an excellent episode of Doctor Who and whilst maintaining its lighter feel as a Christmas Special, it was still a terrific story. Now I know it's a little weird to be doing a Christmas episode in the middle of summer but it had been such a long time since I blogged a performed Matt Smith story that I just had to do one. He is my favourite incarnation of the Doctor and the only stories of his I had left to blog were Christmas ones so this one got the nod. It has much of a different feel to the ending of Series 6 and obviously some of that may be down to the broadcast date but I was just delighted to see the Eleventh Doctor on my screen again. Matt Smith was as wonderful as ever and his delight at showing Cyril and Lily their bedroom was a wonderful scene. He really is the most childish Doctor and I think that is why I love him so much. The initial setting of 1941 in the midst of World War Two was excellent and I think the reason I enjoyed it so much was because it wasn't a story about the War. We just saw the effects it was having on one family and I think that really helped bring home its trauma. This family had been torn apart and had Christmas ruined because their father had died fighting in the air over the English Channel. It was really tough to know that Madge was hiding the information from her children because she didn't want the special times that come with Christmas to be overshadowed by the grief that the death of their father would bring. The Doctor's reaction to that was terrific and I loved the idea of him repaying the favour for Madge helping him through a wish. That was a nice Christmassy feel. I have never actually seen The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe which this episode is obviously loosely based on but the similarities to what I do know about that story were terrific. The curiosity of Cyril was excellent and I really enjoyed how much the Doctor liked this young lad. He really admired the old bear and blanket trick which was a nice moment. The links this story had to The Caves of Androzani were great and I also loved the moment in the forest where Madge mentions she was looking for her children whilst holding her gun. That really was outstanding. The Wooden King and Queen were very intriguing and I loved the concept of aliens made out of wood. That obviously brought problems when it came to the sonic screwdriver and the Doctor's comments regarding that were wonderful. It was bound to happen in all of time and space. The forest itself looked mesmerising and the way it was so alive and alien was certainly appealing. I loved Lily's reaction to stepping foot there but she also realised that they needed to save Cyril. His adamance that his mother would come simply because she always does was excellent and the moment she did show up, Madge really did take centre stage. She took on the role of the pilot for the life-force of the forest and I loved how she was strong enough because she was a mother and a mothership was needed. The forest was saved from harvesting and a lovely Christmas family reunion occurred. The Doctor's mentions of happy tears being so human was intriguing and I loved the ending when he returned to Amy and some of his own. A lovely end to a terrific Christmas Special. Overall, an excellent episode!

Rating: 9/10

Council of War

"And then I remembered the space man..."

Writers: Simon Barnard & Paul Morris
Format: Audio
Released: June 2013
Series: Companion Chronicles 7.12

Featuring: Third Doctor, Benton

Synopsis

At the Doctor's request, Sergeant Benton is investigating ghosts and missing people in Kettering, while undercover as a local councilor.

And that's how he comes to meet Margery Phipps.

An alien incursion in the town hall leads them on a journey to a terrible future - where Margery discovers how she changed a world, and the life of a whole civilisation hangs in the balance...

Verdict

Council of War was a pretty decent little audio adventure! It was my first Companion Chronicle in quite some time and I must admit it was quite refreshing to dive back into the range that I have enjoyed so much in the past. They're easy to listen to at around an hour long and with the focus being on the companion and the story usually told through them, it often gives the listener a lot more exposure to the companion which may not be something that occurs if the Doctor is present in a story. After all, the show is all about him but these audios go some way to proving that his friends are just as important. When Big Finish offered this story at just £2.99 last month, I could hardly resist and I was also delighted to see that this month's special offer story of the same price is another that I have not listened to so I have also purchased that today. But that's for a future entry. This story was quite an intriguing one and it was interesting to have a non-traditional companion lead the story in the form of Sergeant Benton. He was a very comical character during the Third Doctor's era but we never really got to see him shine on his own. That changes in this story though and I thought its placement soon after The Green Death was very good. There was a lot going on at UNIT at this time with Mike Yates still not himself following his interactions with BOSS and then there was the departure of Jo and the Doctor not dealing too greatly with that. I really liked that we got to hear some of that despair that the Doctor must obviously have felt following his friend's departure to the Amazon. The Doctor didn't appear in the adventure much but I thought John Levene's impression of Jon Pertwee's third incarnation was pretty solid for how long he featured. The cameo of the Brigadier was also pretty well done too. As is the usual format with the Companion Chronicles, the companion actor is accompanied by somebody who voices a character in the story and in this adventure Margery Phipps played quite a crucial role. She was a very good character but I must say that I was a little confused by the logic behind her trial in the future on Kettering. Her legacy as a Prime Minister and politician seems to be historic but for the Blatherians to follow her lead but then blame her for their planet coming under attack seemed just baffling to me. It was hardly a form of justice. Benton's idea of an illumination of an army to scare off the Blatherians was intriguing and I liked the historical connections but it was a risky one. Speaking of risks though, him risking his life to protect the people of this future was courageous. The references to The Invasion and The Claws of Axos were terrific and I liked the relationship between Benton and Margery throughout but this audio did lack a little in terms of excitement. Kettering Council wasn't exactly the most thrilling of themes and settings and it took a little while to get going. I also found it a tad ironic how the Doctor had to step in at the last minute and save the day in a story that focuses on the companions. It's what would usually happen but something about that didn't quite feel right to me which was a little bit of a shame. Overall though, it was still a very decent little adventure and considering I thought Benton might be too weak of a character to lead a story, I was impressed with what I listened to.

Rating: 7/10

Doctor Who and the War Games

"This process of elimination, in which all those who fail shall die, will be called the War Games."

Writer: Malcolm Hulke
Format: Novel
Released: September 1979
Series: Target 70

Featuring: Second Doctor, Jamie, Zoe

Synopsis

Mud, barbed wire, the smell of death... The year was 1917 and the TARDIS had materialised on the Western Front during the First World War.

Or had it? For very soon the Doctor found himself pursued by the soldiers of Ancient Rome; and then he and his companions were reliving the American Civil War of 1863. And was this really Earth, or just a mock-up created by the War Lords?

As Doctor Who solves the mystery, he has to admit he is faced with an evil of such magnitude that he cannot combat it on his own - he has to call for the help of his own people, the Time Lords.

So, for the first time, it is revealed who is Doctor Who - a maverick Time Lord who 'borrowed' the TARDIS without permission. By appealing to the Time Lords he gives away his position in Time and Space. Thus comes about the Trial of Doctor Who...

Verdict

Doctor Who and the War Games was a wonderful novelisation of my all time favourite Doctor Who story and it was the only choice when it came to blogging my 1000th entry. I never imagined that I would persist this much and this far with my blog when I started back in 2013 but here I am four years later with four digits worth of entries! That is quite mind boggling to me, especially considering the sheer amount of stories I have yet to blog. There really does seem to be an endless catalogue of Doctor Who stories out there, across numerous formats. I was tempted to re-watch this story but considering I was yet to read the Target novelisation I thought that would be more beneficial as a whole. I thoroughly enjoyed the read as expected and it was just wonderful to have the story fresh in my mind once again. It is just superb from start to finish. I love History so all of the numerous time zones depicting a different war from the past is a stunning idea and one that I just adored. We had the primary focus being on the First World War which was good but then we also had characters from the Second Jacobite Rebellion, the American Civil War and the Boer War. This is just fantastic and I loved the idea of soldiers from all of these wars eventually coming together and forming an army of resistance to thwart the plans of the War Lords and their hopes to conquer the galaxy. They were an intriguing race but the relationship between the War Chief and the Security Chief was probably of more interest throughout the story, especially once we learned that the former was of the same race as the Doctor. This story is obviously a monumental one in that it introduces the Time Lords, the Doctor's species. The hints given about them during the early stages of the book were good and the Doctor being familiar with the technology was very good. I must say though, I thought the synopsis of this novelisation was awful as it basically tells you everything that happens. That is not what you want to know prior to reading a book! The SIDRATs was a very clever take on travelling through time and space and I liked how they weren't overly powerful or reliable which gave them a clear distinction from the TARDIS. Carstairs and Lady Jennifer were terrific characters and I'm glad their quality was captured in the novelisation, as was the evilness of General Smythe. I really liked him. I was quite surprised by how short this book was at just over 140 pages long due to it being broadcast in ten parts. It wasn't much longer than your usual novelisation and that made for a very fast pace. I did hope for a little extra when it came to the Time Lords forcing the Doctor to change his appearance and given that the novelisation was released a decade after the story broadcast, I don't see why it couldn't be referred to as a regeneration. I think Malcolm Hulke followed the script too literally but it certainly didn't take away from the story. I don't think anything could because I just hold it in such high regard. The deaths of the Security and War Chiefs are quite sudden and this novelisation also made me realise how sudden the Doctor's goodbyes to Jamie and Zoe were. The emotion behind their departure wasn't quite captured in the book and I thought the Doctor's trial was rushed but the story as a whole still remains my favourite. The book is excellent and despite the story being my all time favourite, this is not my favourite Target novelisation. Overall though, an incredible story and the only one worthy of being #1000.

Rating: 10/10

The Doctor Falls

"We've been debating the best way to kill you."

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 1st July 2017
Series: 10.12

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

How many times have you died? How many different ways? Have you burned? I know you've fallen. Have you ever drowned? Have you ever felt the blade? Death is always more frightening when it strikes invisibly.

Verdict

The Doctor Falls was a very good conclusion to the story already started in World Enough and Time and as a pairing they formed a terrific finale of the tenth series of Doctor Who. Now, this is probably going to be a little bit of a weird blog entry given my rating but I think I'm going to be quite critical of an episode that I actually thoroughly enjoyed. Right off the bat, I wasn't the biggest fan of how much story advancement there was and I was actually really looking forward to seeing the immediate aftermath of the cliffhanger with the Doctor's stunned reaction to seeing two incarnations of the Master as well as his companion now a Mondasian Cyberman. Instead we barely returned to that through flashbacks and instead we had the Master and Missy almost victorious over the Doctor already. The Doctor though had managed to attract the Cybermen to the Time Lords rather than humanity in a scuffle and I loved his boastfulness in assuredly stating that the only thing to stop that many Cybermen was himself. Nardole was terrific in this episode and I loved how he just popped up with a spacecraft but even after that, when leading the defence against the impending arrival of the Cybermen, he was magnificent and I think I really am going to miss him as a companion. Bill provided an immense amount of emotion to the story but I must say that I'm not overly thrilled that she got a happy ending with Heather. It was nice to come full circle from The Pilot but I do wish she just stayed dead as a Cyberman. I think her departure would have been more heartfelt had it been that way. I'm still not sure how she wasn't a Cyberman any longer either. The Doctor being attacked by a Mondasian Cyberman and then shot by one later in the episode prompted the Time Lord's regeneration but he was very eager to put it off. That didn't surprise me and I loved how the Twelfth Doctor didn't want to change again. That was very much in line with Capaldi's incarnation. He even said no more and let himself be blown up with the Cybermen on Floor 507. That whole setting was intriguing and I thought Alit was a wonderful little character. It was good to see that she was not scared of Bill, even though she was a Cyberman. The moments that the Master and Missy shared with each other were wonderful but I was hoping to see them in a bit more action. The explanation of John Simm's incarnation survival and return from The End of Time was a neat inclusion and I liked the ambiguity surrounding whether Missy was indeed the next regeneration along. I certainly hope it's not the case otherwise the fate of the Master could be very sketchy indeed. The idea of two versions of the Master meeting themselves and killing each other was quite a shock but the fact that Missy had changed and was standing with the Doctor seems to be the perfect catalyst for that. The numerous references to Cybermen stories such as The Moonbase, The Tomb of the Cybermen and Revenge of the Cybermen were wonderful and I also loved the mentions of Planet 14 and Marinus. This essentially serves as the Twelfth Doctor's regeneration story and I liked how we heard echoes of phrases from other incarnations from the mouth of the Doctor himself. Where there's tears, there's hope. And that brought the Doctor back. He'd lost Bill. He'd lost Nardole. He was dying and his body demanded change but he just didn't want to go on anymore. Not as anybody else. But then the TARDIS brought him somewhere he never thought he could go. To himself. His first self. That cliffhanger with the emergence of David Bradley playing the First Doctor put an incredible smile on my face and I really cannot wait for Christmas now! Overall, a decent episode and a great finale as a whole!

Rating: 9/10

Plague City

"The dread of all the bleak and empty days to come made him feel like he was choking."

Writer: Jonathan Morris
Format: Novel
Released: 20th April 2017
Series: NSA 60

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

"We should leave. We definitely should leave. But... chatty ghosts!"

The year is 1645, and Edinburgh is in the grip of the worst plague in its history. Nobody knows who will be the next to succumb - nobody except the Night Doctor; a masked figure that stalks the streets, seeking out those who will not live to see another day.

But death is not the end. The Doctor, Bill and Nardole discover that the living are being haunted by the recently departed - by ghosts that do not know they are dead. And there are other creatures lurking in the shadows, slithering. creeping creatures filled with an insatiable hunger.

The Doctor and his friends must face the terrifying secret of the Street of Sorrows - that something which has lain dormant for two hundred million years is due to destroy the entire city...

Verdict

Plague City was an excellent novel and certainly the best of the three books released to accompany the broadcasting of Doctor Who's tenth series. The first two prose stories of The Shining Man and Diamond Dogs were very good but this novel definitely eclipses them as the best of the batch and went very close to securing full marks. I loved the setting from the off and I think that is probably down to my love of history. The plague is something I have looked at in great detail so having a story set in 1645 immediately had my appeal. The Scottish setting of Edinburgh was something I knew less about however so it was good to learn of the city in this book and to actually have somewhere new for a Doctor Who setting. It definitely worked, even if what I think is the main reason the book didn't score full marks was because of the Scottish setting. I'm just not sure if the Scottish lingo was required at every corner. Being Welsh, it isn't something I can fully understand and some words and sentences just lost their meaning to me which was a bit of a shame because I absolutely loved the plot. I thought the inclusion of Nardole to the prose format was a boost and I must say that Morris absolutely nailed his characterisation. Peter Capaldi's likeness as the Twelfth Doctor was also well captured throughout and I also liked the challenges he presented for Bill. The need to not change history when travelling through time was slightly addressed in Thin Ice but Bill was really questioning it in this novel which was superb. She was almost angry at the Doctor for not allowing her to save a few lives from the plague. The Doctor though seemed to change his rules more and more as the story went on which was ironic. That line he was drawing soon went from one person to one city. Not much of a stretch then. The story of Thomas and Isobel and their daughter Catherine was a very emotional one and I must admit I was quite surprised that it actually turned out to be pivotal to the story's resolution. Betsy and Agnes also had a very nice story and I liked how Bill had worked out that the two were obviously an item. That would have to be kept a secret in the seventeenth century of course but she saw it which was good. The concept of the Night Doctor was intriguing and I liked how it was merely an animation of what Annabelle was doing in the day. Her death was rather emotional but it served a crucial purpose. The Psycholops was another interesting concept and the fact that it was empathetic was really intriguing. That is something I haven't seen explored in a very long time. It was also keeping a volcano dormant which was pretty crucial but the plague had brought an immense amount of grief to Edinburgh and the pain was proving to much for the giant creature. The Doctor and Bill soon saw to that though by bringing Catherine back to her parents and providing an injection of unadulterated happiness. The Doctor playing the Pied Piper to all the Grief-leeches was quite the image but it certainly worked out well. The pace of the novel was very good and made for easy reading and I liked how consistent the story was throughout. The reference to Fear Her and the implication of the Sisters of Plenitude playing a role in things were just added bonuses to what was a terrific book! I'm glad to have read it before the television series concludes tomorrow and I must say that it was a very good read. Overall, an excellent novel!

Rating: 9/10

The Soul Garden Part 3

"We are the Haluu! We were grown to serve the great Sythorr!".

Writer: Scott Gray
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 29th June 2017
Printed in: DWM 514

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

The great Sythorr, ruler of the Haluu, has arisen once again and he means to spread destruction and chaos across the cosmos! He plans to spread the seeds that make him across numerous planets and reform and take what he wants. But can the Doctor and Bill, despite the latter's position in the Dreamspace, stop him in time?

Verdict

The Soul Garden concluded in a pretty good way and has served as a decent beginning to Bill's comic strip adventures! I'm not sure how much longer they will last given the events of last week's World Enough and Time but I imagine Christmas will be the last we see of her in Doctor Who Magazine. Speaking of the magazine, this looks set to be a fantastic issue and I must say that the cover is simply splendid! We got a brief flash of seeing both incarnations of the Master on screen at the conclusion of last week but this week's finale looks set to be something very special indeed! Not only will we have both Missy and the Master, but we're also going to have a number of designs of Cybermen. I am very excited for The Doctor Falls and I can't wait to read the preview in this month's issue. The interviews with Michelle Gomez and John Simm should be brilliant and I'm very intrigued to see what they have to say about working together on screen and the idea of two Masters showing up together. I've barely read anything other than the Letter from the Editor column but I must say that in itself has got me very excited for the future of the show as Tom seemed to think there was a chance we'd know the identity of the Thirteenth Doctor by now. That surely means that the arrival is imminent which is very good news. I think it's right to wait until the end of the series though before we take our focus off of Peter Capaldi. He's going to go out with a bang and I'm very excited to see it. The confirmation from DWM that the regeneration scene at the start of the episode last week was the actual regeneration was quite a shock I must say but it's just got me asking questions! I'm looking forward to reading Steven Moffat's column this month that's for sure. A Mark Gatiss interview will also be a good read following the broadcast of the excellent Empress of Mars. I don't usually read the Fact of Fiction but the fact that it's The Keeper of Traken may change my mind as that was my first Classic story and one of my all time favourites. I'm always looking forward to reading Galaxy Forum to see what fans made of the recent episodes and a more constructive review in the DWM Review should also prove to be a good read. The Coming Soon section also gets me excited and it seems we have another great issue on our hands here! Anyway, back to the comic strip story itself and despite the adventure as a whole scoring highly and being a good one, I thought this was actually the weakest of the three parts that made up the story. I'm not sure what it was but as I took a break between rereading each part, I just felt this was a little bit of a rushed conclusion which seemed unnecessary. I had expected this story to score a mark higher and whilst what I've given it is still excellent, I kind of hoped for a better ending! Bill didn't really do much which was a shame and we never really knew what the Doctor was doing but I did like how he just wanted to get on with saving the day and have people trust him. The revelation that Oksanna was actually Lady Tokashi's mother was a big shock and it injected the story with some needed emotion. The climax was pacy and I liked how Samuel Taylor Coleridge played a part in solving things. The Doctor's dismissal of Sythorr's warning at the conclusion of the story was interesting and the prospect of the unknown soldier stirring seems like we have a story arc of some sort which has been missing from the Twelfth Doctor's comic run so I look forward to seeing this pan out. Overall though, a very decent comic strip debut for Bill as companion!

Rating: 8/10

Diamond Dogs

"I've got everyone on this station to save."

Writer: Mike Tucker
Format: Novel
Released: 20th April 2017
Series: NSA 59

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

"Here on Saturn, it literally rains diamonds."

For over fifteen years the crew of Kollo-Zarnista Mining Facility 27 has been extracting diamonds from deep within the atmosphere of Saturn, diamonds that help to fund the ever-expanding Human Empire. But when a mining operation goes wrong, a rescue mission must be launched to save a worker lost overboard, a worker who claims that he has seen something amongst the swirling clouds. Something that can't possibly exist.

When the Doctor and Bill arrive, they immediately find themselves caught between hostile miners, suspicious security guard and corrupt company officials as they face accusations of sabotage and diamond theft.

And below them, in the crushing atmosphere of the gas giant, something is starting to rise.

Verdict

Diamond Dogs was a very good book and another great novel in the recently released collection of stories to accompany the broadcast of the tenth series of Doctor Who. This book was set a little earlier in the series than the current standing of World Enough and Time but I think reading the prose adventures of the Twelfth Doctor and Bill alongside the broadcast of the television series is a big benefit, even if the broadcasting has nearly concluded. This book was interesting from the word go and I really liked the setting of Saturn in the 51st century. I'm not sure what makes that century particularly popular amongst writers in the Doctor Who universe but it seems to often crop up when a story takes place in the far future. This story followed a familiar format but I thought Tucker's writing was very clever in ensuring that it wasn't dull because we got to see things through Bill's eyes. That's one huge benefit of having a new companion in the series, everything is new to her so things that have been before can be gotten away with because we get to see Bill's reaction to what we now see as familiar. I must say though, I was quite surprised by just how many typos appeared in the novel. Usually there'll be a couple but in a book as short as this I was actually finding it a little tedious at how frequently there were mistakes. It's not what you expect in a published work but I didn't let that take anything away from the story. I loved how many references there were to past stories with The Time of the Doctor, Heaven Sent/Hell Bent and The Pilot all getting a mention. There seems to have been the same mentions of Smile and Thin Ice in every story featuring the Twelfth Doctor and Bill that hasn't been on television which is fine but I just found it rather comical. The reference I loved the most though was the links that Jo's sister had with Professor Marius in a wonderful nod to The Invisible Enemy. It even prompted a footnote which is quite rare outside of the Target novelisations so that did put a smile on my face. I thought the pace of this novel was quite steady and although it did seem to take a while for the Doctor and Bill to get involved, other things were set up and established very nicely. I really liked Jo as a character but I think Laura was my favourite. Her adoration of the rings of Saturn was a joy to behold and her reaction when the Doctor took her up close and personal with them was superb. She was in awe. Delitsky was another good character and I liked how baffled he was by how much trust his crew had put into the Doctor when he was caught red handed steeling a diamond from the vault. I thought the characterisation of Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor was terrific in this book and Pearl Mackie's likeness as Bill was also well presented, even if she wasn't kept perhaps as busy as she should have been. The moment she worked out before the Doctor that there were actually two saboteurs was wonderful though. Nettleman was a good character and one that was presented not to be well liked which is something I think you need in a novel. The revelation that Jenloz was unexpected but made sense once it was revealed that the Ba-El Cratt and the Cancri were at war. Rince's association with the pirates and mysterious Raptor that we'd heard about sporadically during the novel was good but I did think that the climax was rushed a little. I mean it meant for a fast-paced ending but the explanation could have been a little more elaborated on in my opinion. Nevertheless, it was still a fantastic little read and a great book!

Rating: 8/10

World Enough and Time

"Is your real name Doctor Who?"

Writer: Steven Moffat
Format: TV
Broadcast: 24th June 2017
Series: 10.11

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

Had we but world enough and time, / This cosyness, lady, were no crime. / We would sit down, and think which way / To walk, and pass our long love's day...
          But at my back I always hear / Time's winged chariot hurrying near; / And yonder all before us lie / Deserts of vast eternity. / The beauty shall no more be found; / Nor, in thy marble Vault, shall sound / My echoing song...

Verdict 

World Enough and Time was a stunning episode of Doctor Who which has kicked off the finale of this tenth season in terrific style! I must admit that this episode is one I have been looking forward to for a very long time and the prospect of the Mondasian Cybermen returning for the first time in over half a century was simply incredible to me. And yet this episode served as the basis for that return. This episode was eery and the pace matched the atmosphere superbly which was a huge bonus. The idea of the Doctor wanting to place Missy in a situation to test whether or not she actually was good was really intriguing but I was quite surprised that the Doctor would allow that, especially with Bill and Nardole at her mercy. His explanation of her being the only person close to what he is like was rather emotional and the talk of the days in the Academy between the Doctor and the Master was excellent. I loved the Doctor's mentioning of Gallifrey being far beyond the civilisation of Earth when it came to genders but Bill's return of the species being called Time Lords was spectacular. I loved that. Before I forget, because it wasn't addressed at any other point in the episode, the pre-credits scene was astonishing! The Doctor was regenerating and the circumstances seemed very similar to The Tenth Planet. I do hope this is something that we see picked up in the conclusion of this episode next week and it has got me wondering whether or not we'll get an early regeneration. I wouldn't rule it out but I'd say it's highly unlikely. The play on the Doctor's real name actually being Doctor Who was quite comical and I liked the ambiguity surrounding it. I was firmly on Bill's side when it comes to his name simply being the Doctor but the fact that Missy was being humorous when saying it, along with the Doctor's comments about her teasing, gives some ambiguity and I'm sure it'll please a large section of the fanbase whilst not appeasing any of it. It also gives The War Machines a bit of credibility which is terrific. Bill getting shot at the early stages of the episode came as a big shock I must say and with the size of the wound that simply obliterated right through her, it seemed inconceivable that she would survive. But that's where we were wrong, she would be repaired. The colonist ship had all the appearances of it being from Earth but the delay in revealing that it was actually from Mondas was sublime. I loved it. I had worked it out relatively early on but that's because it hadn't really been kept a secret. Michelle Gomez was as wonderful as ever as Missy and her battle with herself not to kill anybody was a joy to watch. The concept of time dilation was a very interesting one and I liked how time for the Doctor and co was minimal compared to what Bill had gone through. She was playing a patient game waiting for the Doctor and it would ultimately cost her her life. The moment she was taken to be upgraded thanks to a deception from the mysterious Razor was saddening but that character would soon put a huge smile on my face. His encounter with Missy was incredible and the idea of the Master returning to his infamous disguises was most welcomed. I loved the line about him being the former Prime Minister and his worries for his future were fantastic. The prospect of an episode with two incarnations of the Master is beyond exciting and their role in the genesis of the Cybermen seems even more astonishing. The implication that Bill could be the first ever Cyberman was incredible and the reasoning for their tear duct symbol on the design literally made my jaw drop. It was full of emotion and surprise and I also love how with this being a colony ship, it doesn't really dispute the events of Spare Parts either. I'm not sure where things are left for the finale but the image of the Master, Missy and a Mondasian Cyberman that was once Bill will live long in my memory. A sensational cliffhanger! I look very forward to the story concluding next week.

The Enigma Dimension

"This is no longer Gallifrey. This is a Dalek planet."

Writer: Nicholas Briggs
Format: Audio
Released: 23rd February 2017
Series: Casualties of War 03

Featuring: War Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

The Dalek Time Strategist has a new plan to ensure final victory in the Time War. As its forces gather for a huge assault on the enemy, ahead of the fleet something hovers above the planet of the Time Lords. And on Gallifrey itself, shadows move among the Cloisters.

The Time Lords face a threat alien to their entire universe. To save their world, the War Doctor and his allies must enter the Enigma Dimension.

Verdict

The Enigma Dimension was a great little audio and a good conclusion to Casualties of War, the fourth and final War Doctor boxset to feature John Hurt. It's such a shame that illness brought these stories to a premature end but the fact that we got twelve stories from someone like John Hurt is truly remarkable and his legacy in the Doctor Who world will live on for a very long time. He is the Doctor. Now, the story of the Time War is far from over with a number of Eighth Doctor box sets serving as prequels due to begin later this year and we also have an exciting box set involving the War Master but that's all for the future. Right now, the performed story of the War Doctor has concluded and it's been such a pleasure to listen to all twelve of John Hurt's extra adventures to add to his sole appearance in The Day of the Doctor. He was on top form again here but I must admit this story was a little different to what I was expecting. I had hoped for more of a personal relationship between the Doctor and Leela but sadly they barely appeared alongside each other and I was also expecting a type of story where the Daleks would attack Gallifrey and give us a real Time War battle to finish the boxset and story of the War Doctor. That would not be the case but that's not to say the adventure wasn't good because it certainly was! I enjoyed the bickering between the Doctor and Ollistra in this story and I loved his annoyance when she repeatedly called him by the name he has revoked. Her explanation of why she does that though was equally as good. The difference between the two Time Lords though was fully realised in the Enigma Dimension itself when the mysterious extradimensional creature seemed to have the ability to do just about anything with history. The Daleks had used it as a weapon to rewrite Gallifreyan history and replace it with all things Dalek. Ollistra wanted to do the same but wipe out the Daleks from history meaning a Time Lord victory in the Time War. The Doctor though was in between despite his race. He wanted the creature to rid the universe of both species to ensure there would never be a Time War again. The Doctor's feelings about fear being discussed were really intriguing and I liked how he admitted that he feared the Daleks. But he also feared that if the Time Lords were victorious, they would just find somebody else to fight after the Daleks. That was a rather frightening prospect so he wanted an end to them both. Leela's connection with the creature was interesting but I can't help but wish that she featured more prominently as herself. The reference to The Invasion of Time was excellent and I did like how she recognised and felt the sadness of the Doctor. It was so strong that the emotion enabled the link with Leela and the interdimensional creature to be made. The description of the dimension itself was good and I loved the dismayed reaction of the Daleks when the TARDIS materialised there. They were sure they were victorious on this occasion but Leela and the Doctor's sadness had given the Enigma Dimension some doubts over whether removing the Time Lords from history was the right thing to do. They recognised that but neither Ollistra nor the Doctor's wishes for the Time War's fate would be met and that seemed a little anticlimactic to me. I think the ambiguity is a clever way to finish but I can't help but want answers! It seems the Enigma Dimension resulted in no change at all in the Time War. Nevertheless, it was still a great little story and a very good way to finish what has been another excellent War Doctor boxset!

Rating: 8/10

The Lady of Obsidian

"The Lady of Obsidian. I know her as Leela."

Writer: Andrew Smith
Format: Audio
Released: 23rd February 2017
Series: Casualties of War 02

Featuring: War Doctor, Leela

Synopsis

As a Dalek strike fleet heads to destroy another defenceless world, the Doctor seeks help from a shadowy guerrilla force. The Time War leaves many casualties in its wake, and inside the Obsidian Nebula the monstrous Unlived are held at bay only by the 'Lady' and her dwindling band of fighters.

The War Doctor soon finds himself at the Lady's mercy, and two old friends face new revelations...

Verdict

The Lady of Obsidian was an excellent audio story and a great continuation of the Casualties of War boxset. It was a really strong follow up to the opening adventure and it saw the War Doctor reunited with an old companion, a prospect I absolutely loved when it was announced and I am happy to say that the delivery did not disappoint. There was some good build up prior to the reunion of the Doctor and Leela and things seem to had advanced slightly on from Pretty Lies in terms of story development. The Doctor and Ollistra were on Grend and had already acquainted themselves with some locals. They let it be known that the Daleks would soon be striking and that obviously raised questions. The concept of the Lady of Obsidian was terrific and the Doctor's reaction when he saw just who that turned out to be was superb. He would soon be reunited with an old friend and maybe that will rekindle some of the Doctor inside of him. Despite the emotion behind being reunited with an old companion, the War Doctor was still very much noticeable as being very different to his other incarnations, past or future. Even with some of the Unlived still on the hull of the ship, he demanded that they take off. To this incarnation of the Doctor, it seems that life isn't all that matters and that is quite a scary contrast to the Time Lord that we all know. John Hurt was once again magnificent and it is such a shame that this turned out to be his penultimate performed story as the Doctor. He is truly magnificent and has more than cemented his place as an incarnation of the Doctor with these audio adventures. The moment the Doctor and Leela met face to face was wonderful and the emotion that accompanied it really was something special. Leela was dealing with a tormented memory thanks to a Dalek Destructor blast during the first days of the Time War and she was misplaced in time but gained all of the memories of all of her potential lives because of it. That is almost incomprehensible but Louise Jameson was simply incredible in portraying that. The prospect of her not remembering the Doctor was devastating but there were just so many lives that she knew. The talk of her children was rather sad but I did enjoy the references to The Face of Evil and The Invasion of Time when the Doctor was trying to convince her who he was and what that meant. The Obsidian Nebula was a good primary setting for the story and I liked the Dalek Strike Fleet's reaction to discovering that the Doctor was close to them. They obviously wanted to exterminate him but that has been easier said than done over the years. Rosata was a great character and I liked her relationship with the Doctor, whom she labelled as 'stowaway' which was a nice touch. Her demise was quite horrific but the Doctor greatly appreciated her efforts in stopping the Daleks. Skaul and the Unliving were quite an intriguing race with them being a species of potential but once the bridge to their possibility of living was closed they were eradicated. Leela entering the TARDIS and the time machine helping fix her memory was a great moment and I loved how Leela wanted to now stand and fight alongside the Doctor in defending Gallifrey. They had gotten their hands on the plans of the Daleks and it seemed that the Time Lord homeworld would be their next destination. The prospect of a story similar to The Apocalypse Element and the Daleks invading Gallifrey really does get me excited. I can't wait to hear that in the final story but for now this was another wonderful audio adventure!

Rating: 9/10

Pretty Lies

"A man who's lost his conscience. His friends. His name..."

Writer: Guy Adams
Format: Audio
Released: 23rd February 2017
Series: Casualties of War 01

Featuring: War Doctor

Synopsis

Trapped and desperate, light years from their armies at the heart of the Time War, the War Doctor and Cardinal Ollistra discover that where they go, destruction follows.

A war reporter named Schandel may provide the key to their escape, but it is often said that the first casualty of war is the truth. When the choice between grim reality and a hero's story means life or death, will the Doctor allow Schandel to print the legend?

Verdict

Pretty Lies was an excellent audio adventure and a great story to kick off my listening of the Casualties of War boxset. Sadly, this is the last boxset to feature John Hurt as the War Doctor following his passing but it has been truly amazing to get twelve stories featuring this hidden and unprecedented incarnation of the Doctor. Big props to Big Finish for that and I do hope that John Hurt goes out with a bang in this boxset. It has certainly begun in style with a really great story that had a terrific theme of reporting. The Doctor and Ollistra were thrown straight into the action on Beltox which I liked and I really enjoyed seeing the pair's annoyance at having no other choice but to get along. This story particularly highlighted just how different of a man the Doctor was in the Time War. He knew that with the Daleks on their way to strike Fergil, it would be impossible for him to save everybody and he just seemed to accept that. That is rather unusual as he would normally do everything he could to save every last life but that was not the case on this occasion. The Doctor's main plan of action was to make sure that the impending massacre was a small one rather than preventing the massacre at all and that really brought home how deadly the Time War was. The plans of the Doctor even involved people dying, something he just had to get on with. I loved how infuriated he was throughout the adventure by Schandel who was a terrific little character. The idea of a war reporter was great and even in times of war, in a war as horrific and deadly as the Time War, people still wanted a good story out of it. Based upon one line that the Doctor gave, it was edited to make the Doctor sound like he was giving a rallying call against the Daleks which was actually far from the truth. I liked the Doctor's comment about it not being possible that the Time War has a winner, due to the scale of death, and his goal was simply to make sure that the Daleks lose it. Schandel revealing little details about the impending arrival of the Daleks was good and I loved how much he admired the Doctor as a war hero. That would only anger the Time Lord who despite his heavy involvement in the War up to this point really wanted no part in it. The realisation from the Doctor and Ollistra that Fergil was only under threat because of their presence was a moment that really struck me and again, it sold how horrific the Time War truly was. The presence of two Time Lords meant that an entire planet was at risk. Nobody was safe during the Time War and innocents would die by the millions. The Daleks were rather interesting in this story and I liked how they simply seemed to disregard events when one of their envoys was destroyed. They'd just dispatch another and get on with things. The Doctor reporting a falsehood about threatening the Daleks was a brilliant way to lure them into his trap but in order to destroy the Daleks, the price on Beltox would actually be quite a big one. Half of Fergil was wiped out but the Doctor was still seen as a hero to Schandel due to the amount of lives he had saved. The conclusion of this audio though really highlighted how evil the Daleks are as once they got their hands on the finished report, they went and obliterated the planet just to prove a point and to get revenge on the Doctor. Schandel's death was a poignant moment but I am now looking forward to the next story in the boxset to see where things go from here. Overall though, an excellent story!

Rating: 9/10

The Eaters of Light

"We'll all die in the dark."

Writer: Rona Munro
Format: TV
Broadcast: 17th June 2017
Series: 10.10

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

Whatever happened to the Ninth Legion? Bill thinks she knows. The Doctor thinks he knows better. And Nardole thought they were having a quiet night in with a boxset and popcorn. But why watch TV when you've a time machine and an enquiring mind?

Verdict

The Eaters of Light was a fantastic episode of Doctor Who which has really continued the series along in strong style. I was delighted to see that Rona Munro was returning to write a story after penning Survival and it's intriguing to see a writer who has scripted for both the Classic and the modern era of the television show we all love. They're obviously one and the same but they still remain very different and almost separate so to have her return was a real treat. After reading the DWM preview of this episode, I became very fascinated by the idea of the Ninth Legion. Roman History is sadly something I haven't really covered in my historical studies so I did a little research and I really was interested in what is documented about this missing army of Romans in Scotland. I liked how that sentiment was followed through with the arrival of the TARDIS to the second century and the Doctor and Bill debating over who knew more about the mysterious disappearance. Bill was absolutely adamant that she knew more about it than the Doctor which I loved and I really do enjoy how she doesn't lack in confidence. She really has been a stellar companion and I would love for her to be staying on for the Chris Chibnall era but I get the feeling that won't be the case. The Iron Age setting was wonderful for me and whilst Doctor Who stories set in the past aren't exactly a rarity, I do feel that there should be some more set this far back in the past. It's interesting to see humanity at a more vulnerable level as well as a lack of resources for the Doctor to use to provide the resolution. The portal that was being guarded by Kar was fascinating and the idea of time going by quicker inside the gate than outside was rather reminiscent of my reading of The Shining Man earlier in the week. Nardole was wonderful once again in this episode and I really have enjoyed him in the recent stories. He's turning into quite a nuisance but one that you can't help but love. He doesn't seem to do an awful lot in most episodes but he just gets that comedic line in at the right moment which makes him such a likeable character. I really enjoyed the Romans immediate acceptance of Bill's sexuality but I agree with a Twitter comment that I read following the episode's airing in that it seems to be overstated how Bill is a lesbian. It isn't a big deal and it really doesn't need to be continuously mentioned. It's not a problem in the slightest, I just feel like it's something that attention doesn't need to be drawn to. The Light Eaters were an interesting enemy and I liked how threatening they really were. The hinderance of them only being able to come through the portal one at a time was good but any monster that has the ability to literally eat the sun and stars is obviously one to be feared! Kar's relationship, or rather her family's relationship, with them throughout the decades was intriguing and I loved how she took great pride in wanting to fend them off and protect her country. The episode was extremely Scottish which was terrific but I think one of the highlights for me was the comments about the crows. The Doctor seemed to imply that crows have always been able to talk and that humanity simply stopped conversing with them. The one that said 'Doctor' and 'Master' was fantastic but I also loved the touch of the noise a crow makes being a memory of Kar, who went into the portal to defend the Earth. The mystery of the Ninth Legion seems to be solved in the Whoniverse, and I really did like it, but now with Missy once again looming, I'm interested to know whether the Doctor truly trusts her. I suspect not but I look forward to finding out. Overall though, another stellar episode!

Rating: 9/10

Invasion of the Mindmorphs Part 1

"I'm here to show you what adventures in time and space are really like."

Writer: Robbie Morrison
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 25th May 2017
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 18

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor

Synopsis

Thanks to the rather exciting Julie d'Aubigny, the Doctor defeated an infestation of cosmic darkness in Paris, France, in 1695.

Though Julie was interested in joining the Doctor on his travels - as long as she got to drive! - the Doctor has left her to get on with her own adventures for the time being. Perhaps she'll be back for seconds in the future...? In the meantime, there are always new adventures to be had, and new people to meet!

Verdict

Invasion of the Mindmorphs started in sublime fashion with this outstanding opening part! I can't believe I have to wait until the end of August for the second part to be released in the next issue of Doctor Who Comic because I absolutely loved this first part of the story. A Doctor Who comic strip adventure about a comic strip based upon the Doctor is such a wonderful idea and seeing the subtle differences between the reality of the Doctor and his travels through space and time and that of the Time Surgeon was just brilliant. It was intriguing to open the comic and see Clara on the opening page but we soon learned that was actually the Time Surgeon's assistant called Nurse Kara. The idea of the story behind Day of the Deathroids was fantastic and seeing the Daleks and the Master being dubbed as Deathroids and the Minister was just fantastic. It was a nice little throwback to Frontier in Space and after Doorway to Hell, it was terrific to see a glimpse of the Twelfth Doctor and the Master as portrayed by Roger Delgado together once again. I really do think that this story may house the best opening to a comic strip in recent memory. I thought it was that good. I may be overplaying its quality but it just reached out to me and I could not help but love it. The story was then made even better by the arrival of the actual Doctor and he had been reading up on the Time Surgeon 'rip off' of his life. Instead of being angered, he wanted to provide its writers and artists with a bit of inspiration so he basically kidnapped them and took them to the Jurassic period to be chased by a t-rex. If he was going to be ripped off in a comic strip, the Doctor wanted to make sure that it was done properly and that the representation of his life was somewhat accurate. I imagine that on a different day though he may be less pleased about being ripped off in a comic adventure. Sonny and Val were great characters and I loved seeing their relationship develop in the short time of the comic strip. The animosity between them was heightened by the fact that they were roommates but as the Doctor pointed out, there was also an attraction there. Living with someone you're attracted can be difficult, I know from experience, and that definitely seemed to hold true here. The moment that Sonny stepped out of the animosity to protect Val from the dinosaur was evidence that it was all an act and the pair actually did enjoy each other's company. The Doctor giving them a tour of a lot of the good he has done in his life was terrific, even if he can't help but think he was bragging a little bit, and with each new venture Sonny and Val came closer together and seemed to return to what was obviously their old ways before the Time Surgeon comics. The conclusion of the story seems to have set up the concluding part in a different direction with the evil brains wanting to eradicate free thought from the three new arrivals to Zarma. It was not what the Doctor expected on his arrival with the city being devastated which was a far cry from its normal peace and harmony. It seemed that in wanting to provide inspiration to the comic writing team, he had actually now placed them in real life danger. I get the sense that Sonny and Val are going to get their own personal adventure and they won't be in control of its destiny. Let's hope the real life Time Surgeon can save the day! Overall, a wonderful opening part to the story and I can't wait to read its conclusion in a couple of months' time.

The Shining Man

"Shining Men don't exist. They're just some silly urban legend that's got out of hand."

Writer: Cavan Scott
Format: Novel
Released: 20th April 2017
Series: NSA 58

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill

Synopsis

"Being scared is the least of your worries."

The Shining Men are everywhere. You spot them out of the corner of your eye. Abnormally tall, with long lank hair, blank faces and blazing eyes. If they catch you, they'll drag you away to who knows where. No one is safe. They're on every street corner. Waiting. Watching. Shining bright.

Of course it's a hoax. It has to be, right? It started as a joke, a prank for Halloween. Then it went viral. Idiots dressing up as monsters. Giving folks a scare. Silly masks and fright wigs. No one gets hurt. Because bogeymen aren't real.

Until people start going missing and lights burn in the darkness. Burning like eyes.

But help is on its way, in the form of a strange man called the Doctor and his friend, Bill. The Doctor will keep us safe. The Doctor will stop the monsters. Unless the monsters stop the Doctor first...

Verdict 

The Shining Man was a very good novel and it was great to be doing another format of story for the Twelfth Doctor and Bill. I have taken a little longer than I would have liked to start reading these novels but I think it is definitely beneficial to read them alongside the TV series and I do hope I can fit in the next two before the finale airs in a few weeks' time. This story was obviously set a little earlier than the current point of the tenth series but that didn't really have any bearing on the story other than a hidden reference to what might lay inside the vault. Cavan Scott penned a very good novel and I must say I did enjoy some of the references that he included, with some homage being paid to Hattie from DWC and also a lovely mention of The Soul Garden which is the ongoing DWM comic strip story. Little things like that which tie in the stories across all formats and ranges really does appeal to me and I was really glad to read it. I thought the setting of a few months into the future was good and that helped with keeping things present day whilst getting the story to be set at Halloween. The characterisation of Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor was superb throughout the book which was great and with very little to go on, I was also impressed with how well Pearl Mackie's likeness as Bill was captured. There were some nice mentions of The Pilot, Smile and The Library of Alexandria and I thought that the relationship between the Doctor and Bill was very reminiscent with what we have seen on screen in the run thus far. The concept of the Shining Man craze was good and I liked the ambiguity over whether it could be real or if it was just people dressing up in costumes. It had gone viral and the way the story dealt with modern day technology and social media was excellent. I thought Charlotte was a terrific character and I was actually quite disappointed that she seemed to just disappear after the halfway point. PC Schofield was probably the best of the guest characters in this story and I really liked how quickly she came to believe the impossible because of the Doctor. She didn't want to believe any of what the Doctor was telling her throughout the story but she just couldn't help but find herself agreeing with him. That's a great quality that the Doctor has. Noah and Masie were great characters too and the sibling argument they had after Sammy, their mother, disappeared was quite emotional. Hilary was quite comical in moments stepping in as she would being their grandmother. The story dealt with goblins and boggarts in a very intriguing way and I really liked how we saw the Doctor and Schofield go to the Invisible. It was a place where the rules were different and it was very different to what we are used to. Even the Doctor was affected by the strange surroundings despite his assurances. The protection the sonic sunglasses provided was good but I must admit I was questioning things when trees were fighting each other. The battle between the Woodling and the Three was a little strange and I'm still not too sure what it accomplished. The way the Doctor worked out the resolution and how to free Sammy and return the Lost to the Fae was good and I liked how he told a fairy story whilst enacting his plan. It all seemed to make good sense but I can't help but feel it could have been a tad more exciting. Their was danger but I was just looking for a little more in the resolution. As a whole though, it was a very good novel and I was delighted to be reading a Doctor Who book once again!

Rating: 8/10

Old Girl: The Return of Sutekh

"Sutekh. Beware Sutekh!"

Writer: Nick Abadzis
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 25th May 2017
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 18

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby, Cindy

Synopsis

Has Anubis fallen to the darkness in his family tree? Can Gabby and Cindy staunch the corruption in an entity powerful enough to snuff them out with a thought? If you think you know where this year's finale is going... Think again!

Verdict

Old Girl continued in decent style with The Return of Sutekh. I'm not entirely sure this third part lived up to its title and it was definitely a downgrade in terms of quality from the first two parts but that is not at all saying that it was bad! I still thoroughly enjoyed it and I am rather vexed that I have to wait until August for the fourth part to be released in the UK. I am really quite baffled by this second mini hiatus from Doctor Who Comic but I guess there isn't really anything I can do about. Rereading will get me through the memory gap I guess. I liked how this story mainly focused on Gabby and Dorothy with Primeval mostly involving the Doctor and Cindy so that seemed to be a natural development in the story. The battle for consciousness between Anubis and Sutekh was intriguing and I liked how this part of the returning villain was merely a splinter of his mind. That was a good way to get around his apparent demise but the 'side step' comment referencing the conclusion of Pyramids of Mars was interesting too. When a villain who was thought dead returns, I always appreciate an explanation as to how that may be the case and I am glad that we got one here. Sutekh was clearly bitter at the Doctor for his imprisonment and that was absolutely something he was impatient about. I mean, that doesn't at all surprise me and I hope that we do see the wrath of Sutekh in the concluding two parts as after a build up as long as this one, I really hope that the infamous villain gets a good run out. He belongs in a year end finale due to his iconic status so I hope the story lives up to my expectations. The Doctor and Cindy getting extended time together without Gabby has been good and it really has made Cindy more legitimised as a companion in my opinion. Gabby being the one left behind with Dorothy made sense as she has the experience of being a companion and I liked how she dubbed Anubis with the mind of Sutekh as being Anubekh. That was quite snazzy I must say. The confidence she displays is always something I love about her as a companion and that was in abundance here once again. Even when Sutekh sought her out of hiding, she didn't back down. The Doctor's arrival from Amenthes was interestingly timed and I was quite surprised that he figured Anubis had been impatient with his moving of the Horizon. That of course was not the case and it was actually Sutekh trying to basically re-calibrate himself and become whole again. The inclusion of the King Nocturne was not an expected occurrence in the story but I can't say I didn't welcome it. The one problem I had with this part of the story though was that it seemed to be stalling and waiting around a bit with the scenes involving Sutekh. The pace was quite slow and whilst the information that was provided will probably be useful to the story as a whole, it just needed a bit more action. The cliffhanger was not overly great in my opinion which is a shame considering I have to wait so long for the next part! It seemed a little sudden but it hasn't hurt the story as a whole which is the key thing. I look forward to seeing where things go from here and I do hope we get to see the Doctor and Sutekh meet once again. But for now, an interesting part!

Old Girl: Primeval

"What's the point of companions 'f you don't let 'em see the sights...?"

Writer: Nick Abadzis
Format: Comic Strip
Released: 27th April 2017
Printed in: DWC: Tales from the TARDIS 17

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Gabby, Cindy

Synopsis

The Doctor, Gabby and Cindy face a difficult choice, as Anubis's ticking clock strikes the alarm, and the ancient Osiran's patience finally runs out! But they've dealt with the Son of Sutekh before... Now, armed with a year's worth of adventures and experience, can the TARDIS triumvirate rewrite the rules of a cosmic game of life and death?!

Verdict

Old Girl continued in excellent style with Primeval! It served as a stunning second part of the story and I really was intrigued throughout its duration. To me, that is a very positive sign and as per usual with a new addition to a comic adventure, it just seemed to fly by! That is never the case when rereading earlier segments of the story and that was the case with my familiarising of Aftermath. This part of the story though went in a very different direction to what I was expecting and instead of seeing the Doctor and Cindy on Amenthes we saw something far better. At least, I believe it is far better! Not only had the temporal map changed for the TARDIS, but we saw the Tenth Doctor step foot on Gallifrey. That in itself is quite amazing but I just loved how it was in its ancient days. This was Gallifrey before it was even Gallifrey. Before Rassilon and the Time Lords and time travel. That concept is magnificent and to see the Untempered Schism was also a wonderful sight. That is even when what purpose it was serving was rather horrific. Cindy realised what was going on without a lot of explanation and I liked how she couldn't quite understand why the Doctor didn't want to put a stop to the events. Any change in history at this point on Gallifrey could have been crucial to the future and even the very life of the Doctor. The Time Sentinels were really intriguing and I thought their blank appearance was actually very good. They didn't look too dissimilar to the Handbots from The Girl Who Waited. Their mention of protecting the time lock was intriguing and I also liked how once Cindy referred to the Doctor as just that, they knew all about him. Even now on the primordial days of Gallifrey, the Doctor was known to these emotionless bots as both a renegade and a war hero. The brief images of the Doctor's past incarnations was good and something I always enjoy seeing but I really did love how he scoffed at the idea of him being thought of as a war hero. I really am surprised by how much reference has been made to the Time War in DWC since its existence and despite any information about it being great, I don't think this will come close to the Big Finish audios. The way Cindy piloted the TARDIS through the familiar emergency hologram was terrific and I loved how delighted she was to hear her name mentioned after it initially seemed like the Doctor had only programmed the TARDIS to recognise Gabby as his companion. She soon came to the Doctor's rescue as he was having a bit of trouble with the Sentinels and that provided an action packed finish to the conclusion of that aspect of the story. Where that fits in the long run I'm not sure but I look forward to finding out. Back in the garden and Dorothy and Gabby were intrigued by the actions, or rather calm inactions, of Anubis. He was disturbed and the answer was soon revealed to us. It appears that, rather unsurprisingly, Sutekh has returned. That in itself is rather momentous but it has been obvious for over a year now. There was just no way we'd have a year build of a story involving Sutekh's son and not have the infamous villain return! It was a good reveal though and I am interested to see where the story goes from here. It's shaping up to be a very good year end finale!

Empress of Mars

"Mars is part of the Empire now."

Writer: Mark Gatiss
Format: TV
Broadcast: 10th June 2017
Series: 10.09

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole

Synopsis

The Doctor, Bill and Nardole pilot the TARDIS to Mars in the year 1851, after present-day NASA captures a very peculiar image from the red planet. Here, they run into an expedition of Victorians with a lone Ice Warrior as their servant. The Doctor suspects this scaly dish-washer may not be so domesticated after all, but is he just being too cynical this time?

Verdict

Empress of Mars was an excellent episode of Doctor Who! I think this may now be my second favourite story of the series so far and I was delighted to get an Ice Warrior adventure that absolutely delivered. I must admit that I was a little sceptical before watching this story after Cold War, which I thought could have been so much better, and as I wasn't the biggest fan of the Peladon tales my scepticism just increased. I absolutely loved the Ice Warriors in their battles with the Second Doctor and I feel like this story was getting to something like that sort of feel. It is no secret that the Ice Warriors are Martian natives but to finally get to see them on their home planet was wonderful. I still feel like they should have appeared in The Waters of Mars but eight years later, we finally get to see them on home soil. But incredibly, they weren't alone and were actually in the company of Victorian Redcoats! Now that really was something to behold. The pre-titles sequence in NASA was excellent and as a Welshman I could have done without the 'God save the Queen' dross, but that historical sentiment appearing on an alien planet was superb. I thought Bill was once again incredible and I can't say how much I am enjoying Pearl Mackie as the companion. She's astonishingly good and has exceeded all of my expectations in a big way. Nardole didn't appear too much in this episode which was fine but his absence and abstaining in the TARDIS provided us with a humorous dynamic. The Doctor wasn't too pleased by his takeoff. Finding an Ice Warrior on Mars as a human servant was unexpected (well, it was mentioned in the DWM preview) but I thought Friday was an excellent Ice Warrior. He had deceived the human race for his Empress and the concept of a brand new Ice Warrior was wonderful. The Ice Queen looked and sounded perfect and certainly stood up as the female equivalent of an Ice Lord. I was really impressed with her and kudos must go to Mark Gatiss for reinventing an aspect of this wonderful monster. The idea of war on Mars between the human race and the Ice Warriors didn't come as too much of a surprise and I liked how the Martians got the time to showcase their ruthless ability. Their method of killing was rather gruesome but I do question whatever happened to the curved hands of our magnificent Martians. It didn't matter too much though to be honest and I loved the moment where Bill showed togetherness between the species by holding Friday's hand. I also really liked how Iraxxa wanted to hear the opinion of Bill when in the presence of numerous men. That was quite an empowering moment. The audacity of Catchlove to proclaim Mars as part of the British Empire was one of my favourite lines this series and I thought he played the pompous character very well. Godsacre coming clean about his desertion and failed hanging was an unexpected plot element but it fitted very well into the resolution. When he killed Catchlove, preventing a war, the Empress of Mars spared him his life and informed him that he would die in the honour of battle. It all sounded very Sontaran but that was terrific. I really loved how this served as an Ice Warrior equivalent of The Tomb of the Cybermen and I also enjoyed the running gag of films that the Doctor had or hadn't seen. The ending with Missy in the TARDIS was also really intriguing and when she had her hands on the time machine, she still went and saved the Doctor. Just what is she up to? I flat out refuse to believe that she is turning good and her motive now intrigues me even more. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this series concludes with the final three episodes but for now this was brilliant! The inclusion of Alpha Centauri at the conclusion was a perfect ending and a great nod to the Ice Warriors and the show's past.

Rating: 9/10